ABOUT DUNCAN

His successful career all began as a Corporate Event Planner until his tenure as Catering Manager for luxury hotels such as The Portman Hotel and The Pan Pacific Hotel San Francisco, The Fairmont Hotel San Francisco & Chicago, General Manager and Director of Events at The Julia Morgan Ballroom at the Merchants Exchange Building, and at the historic Westin St. Francis Hotel San Francisco as their Catering Manager for Weddings and Social Events.

His impressive accolades have given him credentials to recognize him as an Independent Food Editor, Restaurant Critic and a Contributing Writer for San Francisco, Chicago and New York media publications. Spanning over 30 years in Wedding, Corporate and Social Event Planning, his passion has taken him to new career heights that led him to create F. Duncan Reyes Events By Design and is renowned as the Event Industry’s most Premiere Wedding and Event Planner Extraordinnaire. In January 2009, he was honored by the San Francisco Business Times as one of the Top 100 New Businesses for 2009 and as published in their “Book of Lists 2009”. Duncan is a member of the National Association of Catered Events both for the San Francisco and Silicon Valley Chapters, and was voted in April 2010 as NACE’S “Member of the Year”. And just recently in January 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, was recognized by WeddingWire Bride’s Choice Awards for Wedding Planning. Committed to creating special events that are as distinctive as his clientele, he creates and executes flawless affairs with sophistication and panache yet with a personable approach that represent your own unique style, exceeding expectations for the planning and design experience. The myriad of Weddings, Corporate and Social Events accommodate all requests large and small with a touch of class. With years of experience conceptualizing ideas, themes and budgets for all events, his capabilities and resources are endless in an effort to create memories that will last a lifetime.

This couple met in Chicago back in 2010. The groom was a professional golfer at the time and the bride was pursuing medical school. On May 5, 2010, David’s 25th birthday, he convinced Jordan to meet with him on a first “official” date. Although Jordan paid the tab (David always has to point out ‘it was his birthday!’, it was very clearly love at first sight and their relationship blossomed despite career changes, long distance, and attending different medical schools.

THE PROPOSAL

Jordan’s golden birthday was February 27, 2014. David had been planning to propose since October and had ample time to create the perfect engagement. On February 28, 2014, he had arranged for his family from Wisconsin and Baltimore, and her family from the San Francisco Bay Area, to fly out to Chicago where they were living together at the time to celebrate the proposal with them. David proposed by giving Jordan three gifts the day after her birthday – claiming that some gifts were “delayed by the mail.” The first, a pillowcase with the phrase “Mr.”embroidered on the front, followed by “Mrs.” and then the ring in multiple boxes that Jordan had to unwrap. The ring itself was symbolic – David designed it to sit atop the letter “M,” the first initial of his last name. After the proposal David told Jordan that there were more surprises- family had flown in to celebrate. We all spent the weekend together at some of the couple’s favorite Chicago eateries.

MAZEL TOV, MR. & MRS. DAVID & JORDAN MERKOW!

WITH GRATITUDE

“My husband and I are both medical students across the country, so planning a wedding several time zones away was going to be challenging. Additionally, I am a self-described personality type “AAA” so I knew I wanted to be as involved as I could in the wedding planning process but also have someone on my team that I could entrust with all other details when my wedding could not be prioritized. As a thorough individual, I wanted to do my due diligence in researching a wedding planner who would protect my vision, understand my neuroses, and be flexible with a demanding schedule. In the end I made a spreadsheet of 46 wedding planners – spoke to most of them over the phone and eventually landed on Duncan Reyes. Duncan was truly the brains behind our entire wedding- not to mention a complete genius when it comes to knowing who’s who in the Bay Area wedding scene. In the end Duncan did so much more than plan our wedding; he introduced us to vendors that I never would have found, answered thousands of e-mails (responding to all of them with lightning speed!), and kept meticulous records of budgets, payments, and meetings. To those of you weighing whether or not to have a wedding planner – it was an absolute must for us and really allowed us to enjoy the wedding planning process and most importantly our wedding day. Duncan Reyes truly has our highest recommendation and is a pleasure to work with. He coordinated our wedding, dealt with crazy nuances (and personalities), and handled all stress and anxiety with poise and grace. Several weeks have gone by and we are still getting endless compliments on our wedding and wedding weekend. Duncan absolutely knows how to make YOUR special vision come to life in the most vibrant and fabulous form. Most importantly, my husband and I were beyond floored our wedding day and would not have changed a thing.” – Jordan Scher Merkow

THE “DREAM TEAM”

“It was crucial to have vendors that I trusted and could be myself with. The wedding planning and photography were two areas that I really cared about – and I am thrilled that throughout the planning and the wedding I really feel like both the photographer and planner are true friends. On the actual wedding it was great to see the dance floor packed and people inhale their appetizers and dinner – so clearly a major applause must go to the entertainment (strings, band and DJ) along with the catering team. What left me the most speechless were our florals, they are absolutely breathtaking and completely magical. David is most excited about seeing our wedding video, and we have loved getting to know our videographer Dave Etheridge throughout the past year as well. We’ve been so lucky with our vendors!” — Jordan Scher Merkow

“So many paths to choose from — yet a moment here, a different turn there, and you may never have met to experience a love so right! Isn’t it amazing the way life works? Here’s wishing each new day finds your hearts closer, your lives fuller, your love deeper. May your love bloom brighter and your companionship grow sweeter with each passing year. To a beautiful life together!” — Duncan

Congratulations to Robbin & Mary who tied the knot last July 7th at their beautifully renovated home in Alamo.

They celebrated their nuptials in what couldn’t have been a more perfect sunny day, continued with a spectacular array of gastronomies and delectables, as they danced the night away in a cool evening under the stars.

This amazing couple are true to themselves and to their love. They are so sweet together, unmatched and they speak love to each other without saying anything. I absolutely love how they love. The kind of people who hugs everyone repeatedly. And like them, their Friends and Families were just as charming, beautiful and gracious.

Humble, heartwarming, enthusiastic, fun and love – these were all the key elements that will make a loving marriage. And for Robbin and Mary, they embody all of them. It was a memorable evening of romance, magic and love . . . lots of it! Flawless and fabulous, just like them!

Special Kudos to my terrific team of “Wedding Dreammakers” – you are all masters of your craft! And to our incredibly talented Photographer, Vicens Forns . . . you do stellar work, and have a keen eye for creative art. Don’t every stop being your bad-ass self!!

Finally . . . Brian and Neil are engaged and are tying the knot! I’ve known them both for about 15 years when I first met Brian at the Stop AIDS Project where he was Development Director and I was a Board Member and VP of Fund Development creatively assisting him with raising money and planning fundraisers for the agency. Since then, we’ve become very close friends over the years, and it was also the same time he had just met Neil during a business trip to San Francisco. Neil lives and works in Geneva, Switzerland and both have never been apart since the day they first met, traveling between San Francisco and Geneva, and all parts of the globe where Neil’s job takes him (I want their mileage points!). This perfectly matched couple will celebrate their nuptials on Saturday, August 12th at The University Club of San Francisco, San Francisco’s most elegant and elite historic clubhouse located atop Nob Hill. With the help of my “Dream Team” of wedding professionals, I can’t wait to see the fruits of our labor . . . I can’t bare it! (said with an English cockney accent – that’s just for you, Neil . . . LOL!!!)

Renowned Restaurateur, Willy Ng, tied the knot with his long-time Bride, Jenny Huang at the majestic Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco. For both Jenny and Willy, their Wedding Day couldn’t come any sooner, as they celebrated their nuptials with their adorable son, Jayden and many of their closest Friends and Families who traveled far and wide, mostly from Asia and worldwide. They pulled out all the stops to make sure that their Wedding vision became a reality and it certainly proved to be just that – a magical affair.

Willy & Jenny are proprietors of the San Francisco Bay Area’s most elite Chinese Restaurants such as M.Y. China, Koi Palace and Dragon Beau, just to name a few. So you know that their Wedding Day’s dining experience was going to be nothing less than fabulous. Special kudos goes out to David Robinson, Director of Catering for the Four Seasons San Francisco, and his amazing team of hotel professionals who executed their flawless Wedding with such great élan. The cuisine provided by their talented Culinary Team excelled far beyond their expectations, and even to those with the most distinguished palettes such as Willy’s and Jenny’s.

My heartfelt thanks to my incredibly talented team of Wedding Vendors who helped me create this fantastic Wedding they will long remember. My hats off to all of you!

Graced with a breathtaking view of San Francisco Bay, The Presidio Chapel was an incredibly beautiful and an inspiring location for Kiana & Brad’s Wedding. Built in 1931 by the U.S. Army, the chapel’s Spanish mission revival architecture features arched stained-glass windows, a magnificent fresco, a high ceiling with redwood beams, wrought-iron chandeliers, and lovely oak doors making it the perfect setting for this beautiful couple’s special day. Following their Ceremony, the Reception followed at The Commissary, the Presidio’s latest gem of a restaurant that is a Mexican-inspired Arguello with lots of “heart and soul” showing craveable Spanish-influenced California fare by Owner/Executive Chef Traci Des Jardin. While the “mess hall” dining room has been redone, its earlier use is still evident in the exterior, the metal support columns inside and the preponderance of communal tables. The dining experience could not have been more exquisite while the atmosphere provided an energetic vibe, exactly how Kiana & Brad would have imagined. And how can you not with this couple – they exude so much love! Like their magnetic persona, they’re wedding was full of vibrance, high energy, enthusiasm, warmth and love. And that’s exactly how I designed it to be . . . a Wedding bursting with life. What an incredible evening it was – all I heard was nothing but rants and raves, and saw hips shaking’ and breaking’, booties bumping’ and everyone swaggin’ and swayin’ as they tripped the lights fantastic.

Through the eyes of their masterful photographer, Dario Leventini with F3 Studio Photographers, you can’t help but reminisce that memorable day through images he froze in time. And special kudos to my superb “Wedding Dream Team” – you are all exceptional beyond words, with talents unmatched like no other.

To our lovely Bride & Groom, from the bottom of our hearts, we thank you for our lifetime and newfound friendship, and for allowing us this opportunity to create the Wedding of your dreams!